Air conditioning unit and mounting means therefor



AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Sept. 22, 1958 July 19, 1960 D, E, Mac E D ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 R. m N w m FIG. 6

July 19, 1960 D E, MacLEQD EI'AL 2,945,358

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR File d Sept. 22, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 0/ w "I. llW/l /W x ss.

AIR CONDITIONING UNIT AND MOUNTING MEANS THEREFOR David Earle MacLeod, Syracuse, and Howard James Tyler, Salina, N.Y., assignors to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 762,596

Claims. (Cl. 62-262) a Window, or other wall aperture. The conventional airconditioning unit employs a compression refrigeration system comprising a compressor, heat dissipating condenser, expansion means, and heat absorbing evaporator with all of said components arranged in a closed fluid circuit through which refrigerant is passed. Where the unit is employed for cooling purposes, the evaporator coil isplaced in heat exchange relationship with the air in the conditioned area, and the condenser is placed in heat exchange relationship with the ambient atmosphere. This is generally accomplished by encasing the aforementioned components in a rectangular casing with the condenser on one side and the evaporator on the other, with a partition panel therebetween. Thecasing is then mounted in a window, or the like wall opening with the evaporator facing the conditioned area, and the condenser the exterior of the building structure. These units are generally permanently installed in any given area with the result that it is necessary to provide separate units for each area to be conditioned. The permanent installation is necessitated by the relatively heavy, cumbersome nature of the unit, and by the fact that installation requires the services of skilled mechanics in order to insure a secure mounting for the unit and to provide a relatively air tight seal about the unit. This permanent installation results in a lack of flexibility of use of the unit which diminishes its utility by requiring its use in only one area. If it were readily possible to reverse the unit so as to expose the heat dissipating condenser to the conditioned area, and the heat absorbing evaporator to the outside air, then the unit could be employed for heating during the heating season. Additionally, were it readily possible to move the conventional air conditioning unit, these units could be employed primarily for dehumidification purposes by bringing the entire unit into the conditioned area.

It is with the above desiderata in mind that the present means have been evolved, means implementing and facilitating the ready portability of an air conditioning unit whereby the unit may be moved to any location desired, and may be positioned in a window, or the like wall aperture with either the heat dissipating condenser, or the heat absorbing evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the conditioned area, said unit being securely mounted and tightly sealed in position in any selected location without requiring the services of skilled mechanplaced in some other location.

Patented July 19, 1960 tively for heating, cooling, or dehumidifying with the same esthetic effects regardless of functioning.

These and other objects of the invention which will become apparent from the following description and claims are achieved by provision of a novel air conditioning unit enclosure means or casing and appurtenant hardware, whereby said unit may readily be moved from place to place, and may readily be installed in operative position to either cool, heat, or dehumidify air in an area to be conditioned. The novel casing substantially reduces the weight of the unit and is provided with a novel handle structure which enhances the decorative appearance of the unit as well as its portability. The casing is provided with window engaging means including alternatively employable window sash engaging means and novel reversible clamping means which function to secure the unit in operative position in a window, to either heat or cool the conditioned area. Additionally, a novel sealing gasket structure is provided for sealing the unit in the window to prevent the flow of air between the exterior of the building structure and the conditioned area.

A primary feature of the invention resides in the provision of a lightweight casing having a'novel reversible window saddle clamp which permits the unit to be readily moved, and positioned with either its heating condenser or cooling evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the conditioned area so that the unit may function to either heat or cool, as desired.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of novel sealing means which permits any user, without particular skills, to effectively seal a unit in operative position.

The specific details of the invention, and their mode of functioning will be made most manifest and particularly pointed out in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of an air conditioning unit mounted in operative position in a window, with parts exploded and broken away showing the details of the invention;

Figure 2 is a perspective view looking upwardly at the bottom pan of the unit Figure 1 showing the details of the saddle plate;

. Figure 3 is a perspective detail view of the reversible clamp and saddle plate; and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional elevational view through the unit showing the details of the novel clamp in pos1- tion on the saddle plate, the refrigeration system components being shown pictorially.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional detail view on an enlarged scale of the means securing the gasket to the side walls of the casing.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional elevation view on an enlarged scale showing the detail of the novel eccentrically mounted knob.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in the various figures will be taken to designate like parts. As best seen in Figure l the novel unit enclosure or casing 10 is shown positioned in a window having stool S and window sash W. i

Within casing 10 a refrigeration system is provided.-

- 3 The refrigeration system includes a heat dissipating condenser C, and a heat absorbing evaporator E separated by a partition panel or barrier B as seen schematically in Figure 4. The barrier B forms a condenser chamber and evaporator chamber onopposite sides of the casing.

Enclosure or casing includes a rectangular housing having side walls 11, and uppersurface 12. Arranged on upper surface 12. at its center point are carrying means in the form of handle 13. If. desired, a bracket 13 may be employed to prevent rearward tilt of the unit in use, as hereinafter explained. Alternatively employable window sash engaging means in the form of knurled knobs 15 are eccentrically pivoted on. pivot stems 15, at least one, on each edge of the top surface 12. The knobs are connected to. the top surface 12 by friction washers 40 as best seen in Figure 6. Identical facade grills 16 are provided for securing to the faces of the unit by means of engaging lips 17 and set screws 18. Engaging lips, 17 engage flange 19 which extends along the edges of top surface 12. The bottom wall of the enclosure comprises a pan element 25 preferably formed of a lightweight material such as plastic or the like, as best, seen in Figure 2. Guide rails 26 carrying pins 26 are formed along the lower surface of pan 25, and a saddle plate 27 having spaced slotted apertures 28 formed therein is secured to the lower surface of pan 25. Pins 26' will dig in the stool in use without any visible marring of the wood. It is preferred to form the saddle plate 27 of a rigid material such as steel, or the like, imbedding same in the pan. Y

Window stool engaging means are formed by providing clamp 30 for removable and reversible positioning with respect to saddle plate 27, for a purpose to be made hereinafter more apparent. Stool clamp 30 comprises channel. 31, having engagingdog 32 formed at one end thereof, and is provided with a thumb screw 33 having a padded button 34 at one end thereof, as best seen in Figures 3 and 4.

Alternatively functioning movable weather stripping gasket 35 having a cross-section in the form of a concave bottomed U-shaped member, as best seen in Figure 1 is arranged along the sides, and across the top surface of the enclosure. Each .end of the gasket 35 is provided with an engaging lip or hook-likemember 36 which grasps the lower edge of the respective sides to maintain the gasket .in position. The gasket may be alternatively mounted on either side of handle 13 to seal the unit with respect to a window sash with either the condenser C or evaporator E exposed to the conditioned area.

Panel gasketing 37, as best seen in Figure 1 is formed with panel engaging lips 38 and hollow cushioned body portion 39 to seal in position any side panels employed.

It will be observed that when the aforedisclosed air conditioning unit enclosure is employed, the unit may readily be moved from one position and installed in another, and may be reversed to present either or both the heat dissipating condenser, and the heat absorbing evaporator to the conditioned area, whereby the unit may function to cool, heat, or dehumidify.

The unit is positioned in conjunction with a window by mounting window clamp 30 in saddle plate 27 by means of dog 32 engaged in slot 28. The particular slot in which the dog is engaged is selected dependent on the width of the window stool so that the stool S as viewed in Figures 1 and 4 will extend between channel '31 of clamp 39 and guide rail 26. Thereafter once the unit is positioned in the window, tightening of thumb screw 33 will cause button 34 to engage against the lower wall of the window frame beneath the stool S and will cause pins 26' to penetrate the stool without visible marring of the wood thus preventing forward rocking of the unit.

Weather stripping gasket 35 having a cross-section as bestseen in Figure l is positioned to extend about the sides and top of the enclosure. Window sash W is brought down contiguously to the weather stripping, and

if knob 15 is not properly adjusted with respect to sash W, the window may be raised and knurled knob 15 adjacent window sash W is turned on its pivot so that it will engage the rear edge of window sash W. The window sash is then lowered into contact with the weather stripping. The eccentricity of knob- 15 is provided to take care of difierent sash thicknesses. The result is that any tendency for the unit to tilt forward is resisted by knob 15 and pins 26'. Bracket 13' prevents rearward tilt of the unit.

Where, as is usually the case, there is a space between the sides of the unit and the window frame, panel members P are positioned within the slot of gaskets 35 to extend into the window sash channels in the window frame. Panel gasketing 37 is positioned on top of panels P to provide a seal between the panel and the window sash W.

Where it is desired to change from heating to cooling operation, or vice versa, then it is merely necessary to turn the unit to expose the opposite facade to the conditioned area. This is accomplished by loosening screw 33, lifting the unit from the window, disengaging dog 32 of clamp 30, reversing the clamp in saddle plate 27, and moving the weather strippinggasket 35 to the opposite side of handle 13 so that said gasket lies beneath the window sash. Thereafter the aforedescribed installation procedure involving the rotation of eccentrically pivoted knurled knobs 15, and the tightening of thumb screw 33 is followed, and panels P and their associated gasketing 37 and 35 are positioned as required.

The unit may readily be employed as a dehumidifier by removing clamp 30 from saddle plate 27, and bringing the entire-unit into the conditioned area, thereby exposing the condenser and evaporator to the conditioned air..

It is thus seen that novel, means have been provided implementing the portability and installation of an air conditioning unit. The novel means permit installation without requiring the services of skilled mechanics and permit use of the single unit in any one of a variety of areas either for heating, cooling or dehumidifying.

The above disclosure has been given by way of illustration and elucidation and not by way of limitation and it is desired to protect all embodiments of the herein disclosed inventive concept within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1 In an air conditioning unit having a heat dissipating condenser on one side and a heat absorbing evaporator on the other, means for mounting said unit with either the condenser or evaporator in heat exchange relation with the area to be conditioned, said means comprising means for enclosing said unit, window sash engaging means on the top of said enclosing means, window stool engaging means on the bottom of said enclosing means, said stool engaging means comprising guide means secured to said enclosing means, a clamp reversibly secured to said enclosing means, said guide means and clamp cooperating with one another so that said unit may be mounted in a window with either the condenser or evaporator facing the area to be conditioned.

2. In an air conditioning unit as in claim 1 in which alternatively functioning sealing means are mounted on said unit, said sealing means coacting with said window sash and said unit when the evaporator faces the conditioned area and the sealing means is on one side of said handle means and adapted to coact with said window sash and said unit when the condenser faces the conditioned area and the sealing means is on the prising two knobs, one on each side of said enclosure, whereby either one or the other of said knobs may be employed depending on whi ch side of the unit is exposed to the area to be conditioned, and window stool engaging means on said enclosure, said stool engaging means comprising a clamp removably and reversibly secured to said enclosure whereby said unit may be moved to and from a window and positioned therein for either heating or cooling.

4. In an air conditioning unit having a heat dissipating condenser on one side and a heat absorbing evaporator on the other, said unit adapted to be mounted in a window with either the condenser or evaporator in heat exchange relation with the area to be conditioned, a casing including side Walls and a top surface, means on the top surface for engaging the window to prevent rearward tilt of the unit, a bottom pan secured to said casing, guide means on said bottom pan aligning said casing in a window, said guide means comprising two spaced rails, and clamping means reversibly mounted on said bottom pan coacting with one of said spaced rails to secure the unit in a window when the condenser is in heat exchange relation with the area to be conditioned and adapted to enact with the other of said spaced rails when the evaporator is in heat exchange relation with the area to be conditioned.

5. An air conditioning unit according to claim 4 in which pins extend from said rails to aid in preventing forwarding rocking of the unit.

6. In an air conditioning unit as in claim 4 in which said clamping means are removably and reversibly secured to the pan between said guide rails.

7. In an air conditioning unit having a heat dissipating condenser on one side and a heat absorbing evaporator on the other, a casing including side walls and a top surface; a handle on said top surface; a bottom pan on said casing; guide rails on the bottom pan spaced apart a distance equal to or greater than that of the width of a window saddle; a saddle plate imbedded in the bottom surface of said pan, said plate having spaced apertures therein; a sill clamp having a dog for adjustable and reversible positioning in the apertures of said plate; two

eccentrically pivoted knobs on the edges of the top surface of said casing; and a movable sealing gasket on said casing adjustably positionable on either side of said handle, whereby said unit maybe moved from window to window and positioned with either the condenser or evaporator facing the area to be conditioned.

8. A removable and reversible window mounting comprising a pan, guide rails on the lower surface of said pan, said guide rails being spaced apart a distance equal to or greater than the width of the window stool with which the mounting is employed, and clamping means reversibly mounted between said rails coacting with one of said guide rails when the pan is in a first position to grip the Window stool and for coacting with the other of said guide rails when the pan is in a second reversed position to grip the window stool.

9. A mounting according to claim 8 in which pins extend from the guide rails to aid in preventing forward rocking of a unit with which the mounting is employed.

10. Means for encasing the components of an air conditioning unit, said components including a refrigeration system having a heat dissipating condenser, and a heat absorbing evaporator on opposite sides of a partition barrier, said means comprising a symmetrical rectangular housing having two side walls and an upper wall; a bracket on said upper wall adapted to engage a support to prevent rearward tilt of the unit, pan means forming the bottom wall of said enclosure, symmetrically positioned alternatively employable guide means on said pan means adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of a supporting member; and clamping means removably and reversibly positioned on said pan means to act with said guide means to grip a supporting member, whereby said unit will be maintained in position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,628,052 Cira Feb. 10, 1953 2,638,755 Borgerd May 19, 1953 2,746,826 Cahn May 22, 1956 2,891,754 Kuhlenschmidt June 23, 1959 

